One year to the day that a mother and daughter jogging in Little Rock were struck by a vehicle, the trial of a man charged with murder in the case has been delayed a fourth time.
Jordan Vandenberghe, 25, who appeared in Pulaski County Circuit Court on Thursday, is now set to appear in court again Sept. 28 — his scheduled trial date — to resolve evidentiary issues related to the case.
Judge Leon Johnson said in court that it is unlikely he’ll allow any more delays. A new trial date will be set at Vandenberghe’s next hearing, and another hearing will also be scheduled to hear defense motions to suppress the physical evidence collection and statements Vandenberghe gave police after the wreck.
Police said Vandenberghe fled authorities in a stolen Nissan Maxima on Sept. 15, 2015, speeding through a residential area of Little Rock before striking a sport utility vehicle and losing control in the 10000 block of Chicot Road. At that point, witnesses said, the stolen vehicle veered onto a sidewalk, fatally hitting Trendia Horton, 39, and injuring her daughter Nahtali Horton, 18.
An arrest report noted that syringes and scales were in the vehicle and that Vandenberghe also had a stolen driver's license in his possession.
Also Thursday, Vandenberghe pleaded guilty to an unrelated class C felony charge of theft by receiving stemming from an Aug. 15, 2015, arrest and accepted a 10-year sentence.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
Information for this article was contributed by John Lynch of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.